The Habitat Selection of Anhui Musk Deer in the Dabie Mountains National Nature Reserve in Hubei Province
[Objective]The Anhui musk deer(Moschus anhuiensis)is a small mammal endemic to China.The population of this kind of deer has been continuously decreased due to human activities.There is an urgent need to understand the habitat selection and utilization patterns of deer.This study investigated the habitat selection of deer,aimed to reveal their habitat selection and utilization characteristics and provide information for the conservation,breeding,and ecological restoration.[Method]In July-August 2022,a study on the habitat selection of the Anhui musk deer was conducted at Dabie Mountains National Nature Reserve,Hubei Province.A total of 52 plots were selected and surveyed.Fourteen habitat variables were recoded,including elevation,vegetation type,slope gradient,slope aspect,slope position,canopy density,average DBH of trees,average height of trees,food richness,average shrub cover,average height of shrubs,vegetation coverage,distance from road and distance from water.The Vanderploeg selection coefficient,Scavia selection index and random forest were used to analyze the habitat selection preferences of deer and identify the key variables influencing habitat selection.Additionally,the study compared the differences in various variables between utilized and unutilized plots by the deer.[Result]1)Except for the average height of shrubs,vegetation coverage,and food richness,which showed no significant differences between plots,the remaining variables exhibited substantial differences in the habitat selection of deer.2)Among the factors influencing the habitat selection of deer,elevation has the highest importance value,followed by canopy density,while slope aspect has the smallest importance value.3)The habitat selection of deer prefers mixed broadleaved-coniferous forest and broad-leaved forest with elevation range of 600～1100 m,in middle to upper slope position,slope gradient≥36°,proximity to water sources,distant from roads,sunny slope,high canopy density≥0.8,average shrub cover≥15%,average tree height≥20 m,and average tree DBH≥15 cm.[Conclusion]The preferred habitats of Anhui musk deer encompass mixed broadleaved-coniferous forest and broad-leaved forests,on sunny slopes in the middle to upper slope positions,characterized by relatively high elevations,high canopy density and average shrub cover,big average tree height and DBH.These habitats are located near water sources,and away from disturbances.
NETL
NSTL
万方数据
维普
